Simone Rocha

Simone Rocha (born 11 September 1986) is an Irish fashion designer. Her father is a fashion designer John Rocha, and mother is Odette Rocha. She trained at the National College of Art and Design, Dublin with a BA in Fashion. She then furthered her studies in Central Saint Martins, London graduating with a MA in Fashion. She launched her graduate collection in 2010 at the Tate Modern and in London Fashion Week. She was named Young Designer of the Year in 2014 by Harper's Bazaar, and Womenswear Designer of the Year 2016 at the British Fashion Awards. Simone has been able to expand to having four stores in locations such as New York, London and Taiwan showcasing her furniture and hand-made sculptures.

Rocha was born in Dublin, Ireland on 11 September 1986;^[1]. Her father, John Rocha,^[2][3] is a fashion designer. ''Her mother, Odette, born in Dublin, where Simone also grew up, has been pivotal as a business partner first to her husband and now her daughter''.^[4] She later felt that it was "inevitable" that she would follow in her father's career, adding that fashion was "100% part of [her] life.^[2] Rocha worked at her father's studio between the ages of 13 and 18.^[5] She trained at the National College of Art and Design in Dublin, Ireland. She then studied under the late Louise Wilson, who ran the fashion department at Central Saint Martins in London.^[6]

Rocha showed her graduate collection at the Tate Modern gallery,^[3][7] and in London Fashion Week for the first time in 2010.^[8] Her first fashion installation was in the window of Dover Street Market in London, with the company the first to stock Rocha's designs. She had an outlet within their store when it was located on Dover Street, and continues to have one within their new store in Haymarket.^[3] In the early days, her lines were also stocked by Paris-based boutique Colette.^[9] More recently, Rocha has opened independent stores of her own in both London and New York.^[3] In her native Ireland, her only stockist is Havana in Dublin.^[9]

At the British Fashion Awards in 2013, Rocha won the 'Emerging Womenswear Designer' award.^[10] Harper's Bazaar named Rocha their Young Designer of the Year in 2014,^[2] and in 2016 she was named British Womenswear Designer of the Year at the British Fashion Awards.^[4][11] Rocha's work has previously been worn by the Princess of Wales^[12] and Michelle Obama.^[13]

In 2018, she collaborated with the Italian brand Moncler as a part of their Genius Collection series.^[14]

In March 2021, Rocha had a collaboration line drop with Swedish fast fashion company H&M.^[15]

In January 2024, Rocha presented a Haute Couture collection for Jean Paul Gaultier as a guest designer.^[16]

Simone is married to cinematographer and photographer^[17] Eoin McLoughlin. The couple work very closely together professionally and creatively as seen on projects such as 'Simone Rocha x H&M' and 'Simone Rocha X Moncler SS19'.^[18] McLoughlin has also directed a documentary-style film for her Fall 2021 Ready-to-Wear collection.^[19]

Simone and her partner, Eoin, also share two children together. Their first child, Valentine Ming McLoughlin, was welcomed into the world in November 18, 2015. They shared their news to the world with photographs published on Instagram.^[20] In 2021, she then mentioned her second child who was 16-weeks-old at the time of an interview and how her latest collection was ''influenced by the idea of mother and child when designing the upcoming collection, “and the kind of procession and ceremony, and the physicality of that… that and the sleepless nights!”.^[21] The name of her second child has still not been disclosed.

The family live in De Beauvoir Town, London.^[9] Their house is a delightful family house and their first place that they have owned. The house was built in the 19th century and was bought in 2014 by the family. The house '' had a number of selling points: It was located in the historic De Beauvoir Town neighborhood, a happy bike ride from her atelier, and it had a garden, now planted and designed by Rocha’s friend the landscape artist Matt Wright.''^[22] Their home is also located where her design studio is also based.^[5]

Her brother, Max Rocha, is the owner and head chef of Cafe Cecilia, a popular East London restaurant.^[23] Before opening Cafe Cecilia, he faced a career in music management which he then left behind after failing. Due to this, Max fell into a depression. But thankfully after taking a bread making course with his mother, Odette, he fell in love with cooking leading him to his success today. ^[24] Max and Simone have always described their relationship of being very close. They both have moved from Dublin to London to further on their careers and pursue what they are passions. Their relationship now extends to a professional level which allows them to result in a rewarding creative extent. ^[25]

• Official website